Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Clearly, Senator Waters did not listen to my answer to her initial question. I clearly pointed out that our approval and the conditions that go with the approval actually contribute to an improvement of water conditions in that area. We are actually making things better than they were before by making sensible decisions where we balance opportunities for economic growth with improvement in environmental sustainability. That is something the coalition is committed to. That is something the Greens will never understand. I am hopeful that the Labor Party can understand this.

I might also point out that under Labor at least 38 million cubic metres of dredging was proposed for Abbot Point. The dredging approved for Abbot Point by this government is limited to three million cubic metres—less than one-twelfth the size of the proposal previously progressed by the Labor Party. They are going to go a bit quiet now. (Time expired)